1 Kings 19:9-18
19:9 At that place he came to a cave, and spent the night there. Then the word of the
LORD came to him, saying, "What are you doing here, Elijah?"
19:10 He answered, "I have been very zealous for the LORD, the God of hosts; for
the Israelites have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your
prophets with the sword. I alone am left, and they are seeking my life, to take it
away."
19:11 He said, "Go out and stand on the mountain before the LORD, for the LORD is
about to pass by." Now there was a great wind, so strong that it was splitting
mountains and breaking rocks in pieces before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind;
and after the wind an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake;
19:12 and after the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire; and after the
fire a sound of sheer silence.
19:13 When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood at
the entrance of the cave. Then there came a voice to him that said, "What are you
doing here, Elijah?"
19:14 He answered, "I have been very zealous for the LORD, the God of hosts; for
the Israelites have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your
prophets with the sword. I alone am left, and they are seeking my life, to take it
away."
19:15 Then the LORD said to him, "Go, return on your way to the wilderness of
Damascus; when you arrive, you shall anoint Hazael as king over Aram.
19:16 Also you shall anoint Jehu son of Nimshi as king over Israel; and you shall
anoint Elisha son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah as prophet in your place.
19:17 Whoever escapes from the sword of Hazael, Jehu shall kill; and whoever escapes
from the sword of Jehu, Elisha shall kill.
19:18 Yet I will leave seven thousand in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to
Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him."
Charles Jefferson, an early 20th century preacher from NY, once declared: "The
world is inexpressibly rich in courage, and at the same time the world is distressingly
poor in courage. We are richly supplied with military courage, but we are deficient in
civic courage. We can fight victoriously in the armor of Caesar, but we are awkward and
helpless when it comes to fighting in the armor of God. The whole world is waiting for the
development of a higher form of courage."
Elijah's lack of courage in crisis speaks to all of us who have ever faced an eclipse
of courage precipitated by a lack of faith. The world is waiting to see real courage. So
are our churches.
Peace, OKBob
The word of God came to Elijah with startling seriousness, "What are you doing
here?"
Had he been completely frank, he might have responded that he felt out-numbered and
awfully alone. the glory and passion of the great victory on Mt. Carmel were past, and now
he couldn't face up to continuing to stand alone. Generally it is bearable to stand alone
in the heat of battle, but it is another matter to carry the implications of one's victory
out into the long grind of daily life.
Or, Elijah might have laid his case plainly before God and said he was feeling aorry
for himself and had run out on his primary obligation. He was simply thrashing around in a
bath of self-pity. E. Stanley Jones once said, "A self-pitying self is a pitiable
self."
Or, he might have confessed he was so intent upon saving his own life that he had lost
his perspective and become a deserter to his own cause. This wasn't his intention, but the
concern for secondary matters blotted from his sight the vision of more vital and higher
pursuits. He had succumbed to looking out for #1.
Which ever of these was the case, the verdict is the same: the prophet of courage
became the victim of fear. Had his faith run out? Did his trust go into eclipse? Here we
see how crucial faith is. Faith nourishes courage. And the courage that is bred and
supported by faith declares lessons none of us dares to overlook.
Peace, OKBob
how can one preach on this text without guilt tripping people with a sense that they
don't have enough faith and courage?
Wondering, in Iowa
Why is guilt-tripping such a negative concept? Guilt may be a Holy Spirit breathed
conviction of sin. It is only in the mind of the secularist, and those seeking to diminish
concepts of sin, separation from God due to sin, and the need for repentance who want to
make guilt a horrible thing.
Guilt can lead to a contrite heart seeking forgiveness. Forgiveness guaranteed in the
person of Jesus Christ.
Methinks we ought to understand where this whole premise of guilt avoidance comes
from, certainly not from God.
Guilt that lingers after accepting God's forgiveness might be a problem, but it could
also be an indicator of continued willful sinning, something the Lord would want us to
stop doing.
Rick in Va
1. In God's service there is no release from duty. Elijah's decision to quit Mt. Carmel and move to Mt. Horeb indicated that he felt his big job was completed and now he could join the inactive roll. But faith's vision is never so constricted nor limited. God does not give a piece of work for you or me to do and then let us off because somehow we've established sufficient credit in the ledger books of heaven. God shook Elijah out of his self-pity and lethargy and said, "Go and get on your way toward Damascus." In kingdom work no one can ever say, "I've done my share. Let someone else take over." Even Jesus Himself remarked, "I must go on my way today and tomorrow and the day following." (Luke 13:33)
2. In God's service, to have a name is not important. Elijah felt alone; there seemed to be no other name on the roster. Kings and princes seemed to be all on the other side. But God remeinded him, "There are 7,000 in Israel who have not bowed the knee to Baal." (v.18) But in the work of the kingdom, how few are content to remain anonymous and nameless and simply serve Jesus without praise and commendation. What gives qulaity to our service is the spirit in which it is done. What counts in God's economy is the input of people who do His will as they see and understand it. That is enough for them.
3. In God's service, to influence another is the highest form of service. There are people, like Elijah, who think they can be God's great servants in isolation. But the continuation of the causes of goodness depends upon one life touching another in community. Elijah's witness might have been terminated had he not gone out and laid his mantle upon his successor. (v.19) The story of Christianity in every community features names of persons who are partakers of the benefits of faith because somebody else brought them in.
Happy preaching, dear ones. I'm off to VBS to touch someone for Jesus.
Peace,
OKBob
